A woman activist, Ibifa Amachree-Opuiyo has sent a save-our-souls (SOS) message to the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to deploy emergency measures to safeguard women in Niger Delta from incessant boat accidents on the waterways in the region.

Amachree-Opuiyo, who is the women leader of the Niger Delta Advocates for Peace and Sustainable Development (NDAPSD) and founder of a nongovernmental organization, We Care Foundation for Widows and Children, raised the alarm in a chat with Kristina Reports in Port Harcourt.

She lamented the increasing rate of sea accidents with women, mostly, widows in the rural areas of the Niger Delta, as victims.

The philanthropist made reference to an incident in Kalio-Ama in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State some months ago where a woman and her only son drowned by the Abuloma/Kalio axis when a speed boat hit and capsized their boat.

“It is a pathetic situation that the women, mostly, the widows find themselves in the rural areas in the Niger Delta,” Amachree Opuiyo said, calling on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to design a scheme to alleviate the suffering of the women.

She applauded the infrastructural development embarked upon by the NDDC, while appealing to the commission to intervene to stem the high rate of untimely deaths recorded among women, mostly, widows in the region, describing the trend as “worrisome”.

She also charged the NDDC and government at all levels to urgently intervene to checkmate the ugly situation.

The NDAPSD Women Leader was of the opinion that the federal government should contemplate a special empowerment scheme through the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to cater to the wellbeing of women in the Niger Delta region.

She further disclosed that her NGO, having done a lot in this regard, was ready to partner with the NDDC to achieve this objectives.

Ibifa Amachree-Opuiyo also asked the women in the area to be law abiding and support the NDDC and government programmes in the region.